Head Rest6/30/2020 Tuesday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Gospel is Matthew’s version of the Calming of the Storm. In his narration, he edits out a very sweet detail from Mark’s version where he describes Jesus asleep “on the cushion” (sometimes translated as pillow) We’ll never know why Mark added this detail nor why Matthew thought it insignificant but for this “listener” it added to the humanity of Jesus. Not only is he “sound asleep” (was he a sound sleeper?) but his head is resting on a cushion or pillow. My preferred place and posture of prayer is “sitting cross legged on a cushion with a pillow behind my head as a support. Is it a preference for soft rather than hard surfaces? (I’ve never been a kneeler!) It’s only this morning thinking about the cushion on which Jesus is sleeping in the boat, that I realized the cushion on which I pray and the pillow/cushion/bolster on which I rest my head symbolizes for me the embrace of Jesus, being enveloped in his healing presence. “I heard the voice of Jesus say Come unto me and rest. Lay down O weary one lay down Your head upon by breast. I came to Jesus as I was So weary, worn and sad I found in him a resting place And he has made me glad. These days, we need lots of cushions to soften the blow that have come from the pandemic and the raging storm it has created in our lives. Like those disciples in the boat, buffeted by the blowing winds, we hope to hear the voice of Jesus assuring us with the words “Don’t be afraid.” Can those words be an “up” rather than a “down pillow” meant to bolster our faith and cushion us from the hard realities of life these days?
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Passion's Flower6/29/2020 The Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul
Every time I write “Solemnity” instead of “Feast” for these important moments in the liturgical calendar, my heart sinks. Solemnity sounds so, well, solemn. Feast sounds festive. Neither Peter nor Paul strike me as “solemn.” Rather, I think of them as passionate, alive in love for Jesus Christ. I’m sharing the reflection I wrote on this feast last year. (Now that I’m directing the 30 day retreat, my time is limited for writing so from time to time I’ll revisit a reflection from the past year.) The photo above contains a passion flower and fruit. I’m not suggesting that Peter is a fruit and Paul is a flower or vice versa but rather what unites the two is their Passion, suffering for the sake of the Gospel and their passionate love of Jesus Christ. The passion fruit was named by missionaries in Brazil around1700 “flower of the five wounds.” When opened, they saw an image of Christ’s passion and his wounds. The flower, as you can see, is an exquisite exemplar of God’s passionate love given expression in the beauty of creation. On this feast of Saints Peter and Paul, inspired by the passionflower and fruit, I’d like to share with you two pieces of choreography that embody the passionate love for Jesus Christ as well as the exquisite beauty of creation captured in the image of the passionflower. I discovered the musical settings of Benjamin Britten to poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins on retreat at Eastern Point a number of years ago. I was planning to do some new choreography for a presentation at Boston College entitled: Two Jesuit Choreographers: East Meets West. The program would contrast the choreographies of Indian Jesuit, Fr. Saju George as well as my own. When I discovered the Britten pieces, O Deus, Ego Te Amo and The World is Charged with the Grandeur of God, I knew that this was the music and text that I would use. (Years later I found it “interesting” that the Hopkins poem was based on a prayer attributed to St Francis Xavier.) O God, I love thee, I love thee — Not out of hope of heaven for me Nor fearing not to love and be In the everlasting burning. Thou, thou, my Jesus, after me Didst reach thine arms out dying, For my sake sufferedst nails and lance,┬░ Mocked and marred countenance, Sorrows passing number, Sweat and care and cumber, Yea and death, and this for me, And thou couldst see me sinning: Then I, why should not I love thee, Jesu so much in love with me? Not for heaven's sake; not to be Out of hell by loving thee; Not for any gains I see; But just the way that thou didst me I do love and I will love thee: What must I love thee, Lord, for then? — For being my king and God. Amen Here is the link to “O Deus, Ego Te Amo,” beautifully danced by Darren Devaney. I hope it embodies for you some of the Passion expressed in the poem. I hope you can see the “fruit” of his labor and the beautiful “flower” of a movement prayer. The second piece is “God’s Grandeur.” The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod? Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod. And for all this, nature is never spent; There lives the dearest freshness deep down things; And though the last lights off the black West went Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs -- Because the Holy Ghost over the bent World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings. https://vimeo.com/344685605 What's a Mother with you?6/28/2020 13th Sunday 2020
I shared the photo of the two little cardinals in their nest waiting for their mother to feed them. I share it again. I wish you could have seen the care this mother bird had for her young. She would flit from branch to branch, tree to tree, bush to bush, waiting for the moment when she could care for her young. It was so breathtakingly beautiful to see these “tiny” creatures and their mother’s and father’s care for them. (The male cardinal wasn’t quite as attentive. He may have had ecclesial matters to take care of!) Yesterday was my mother’s 105th birthday and I share with you parts of a homily I gave on her 90th birthday and one that I will preach today for our 30 day and 8 day retreatants. 15 years ago, yesterday, was my mother’s 90th birthday. Her only birthday wish was for the family who lived around the country to come to Boston for a special Mass at St Ignatius Church where I was pastor and where I, during one of the parish Sunday Masses, would give the homily I would give at her funeral. That was her birthday wish. Yes, it was a challenge but I was fortunate that the readings for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary time; the ones you just heard, made it a little less daunting. Like the Shunemite woman, my mother was noted for her hospitality. She loved entertaining. And after years working as a waitress at Stouffer’s in Garden City, she had the art of hospitality down to a science. But when I looked at the Gospel, I groaned. “Unless you love me more than your mother or father, you are not worthy of being my disciple.” What would I say about that? It was my father who came to the rescue. My mother, after his death, told me that sometimes she would say to him “I adore you.” And his response, was, “God is the only one whom you should adore.” I’m sure he was delighted to hear my mother’s expression of love and adoration, but he also took to heart Jesus’ words. And then, there was the second reading from Paul. “Are you not aware that you have died with Christ in your baptism?” Maybe a funeral homily wasn’t such an unusual idea after all. According to Paul, we have all experienced death, whether we know It or not. The question is how we live as disciples of Jesus immersed in his death and resurrection in which we share. I hope that this brief recap of a Sunday 15 years ago on my mother’s 90th can shed some light on the scriptures today as you begin 30 or 8 days of retreat. Like the Shunemite woman who opens her home, or like my mother who did the same, we are asked to open our homes and hearts to others. Yes, it has been almost impossible to do that physically in the past months, so we have needed to be creative in our hospitality. What are the ways in which we have stayed connected and helped others to feel at home in a time of isolation? What is so interesting about today’s scriptures is that we have issues of life and death, challenges to our human attachments, choices that we have to make to follow Jesus. At the same time, we have the small gestures of hospitality that the Shunemite woman offers Elisha, or the “cup of water” offered. Small things but so significant. And in the midst of the pandemic, issues of life and death, isn’t it the small gestures that have sustained you? They have me. Seeing one of Bill’s roses opening, weeks of washing windows in the chapel so that you all could see “all things bright and beautiful” better, the surprise of a morning sunrise here at Eastern Point. Small things in the midst of the “big” things our world is facing are gifts and graces. During your retreat, you may well be ‘grappling’ with great personal issues, questions of vocation, relationship, aging, sin, forgiveness, the meaning of your own life. Good luck with that! At the same time, can you let God be like the Shunemite woman who opens heart, home and hearth to you? While you’re struggling with issues of great moment, don’t miss the moments of bird songs, flowers opening, seals lounging on rocks, gulls cawing….
Each little bird that sings, God made their glowing colors, God made their tiny wings. 3. The purple-headed mountains, The river running by, The sunset and the morning That brightens up the sky. 4. The cold wind in the winter, The pleasant summer sun, The ripe fruits in the garden, God made them every one. 5. The tall trees in the greenwood, The meadows where we play, The rushes by the water, To gather every day. 6. God gave us eyes to see them, And lips that we might tell How great is God Almighty, Who has made all things well. On a Whim6/26/2020 Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
I chose the photos of water lilies on Niles Pond “on a whim,” hoping that they might bring a bit of “whimsy” into your day and mine. Waterlilies are delightful and surprising. Although they seem to be floating and resting on their “pads,” they are rooted in the mud. They spring up from the soil, invisible to the eye and captivate with their beauty. It’s no surprise that for many cultures and religions they are signs of “resurrection.” These days doing things “on a whim” is very rare. With all the necessary precautions one needs to take, “spontaneity” is not too common. If you “on a whim” decide to take a walk, you need to have your mask with you and keep social distance. There is the anxiety that the virus is lurking somewhere close. Watchfulness has replaced whimsy. It feels like doing things “on a whim” has been left behind. And there’s the whimsy that has me smiling like a waterlily. Could you find the hidden meaning behind the use of “on a whim.” (I know my friend Ed Dailey would!) In today’s reading from the second book of Kings, we hear of the “anawim,” they are the poor ones who are left behind in Jerusalem when most of the population has been sent into exile. Then Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, led into exile the last of the people remaining in the city, and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the last of the artisans. But some of the country’s poor, Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, left behind as vinedressers and farmers. The “anawim” or faithful remnant, poor as they are, are left behind to tend to the land. They will be faithful to the God of Israel and to the land until the return from exile. And who, these days, are the faithful remnant, the poor ones, who are caring for those of us who have been exiled from our normal routines and ways of being together? They must be the ones who are still farming, harvesting, providing a way for us to be fed. They are the ones whose wages are barely “living” and yet who work stocking shelves and, serving at counters and checkouts. The “anawim” are all around us if open our eyes to see. Suspenders...6/25/2020 Thursday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
I won’t keep you in suspense, in case you’ve already read the scriptures for today and are wondering why “Suspenders” is the headline. Well, it’s a stretch, but Jesus’ speaking about building a house on rock made me think of Brace Rock which you see in a storm above. And that led me to think of “braces” which is another name for “suspenders.” So much of life has been suspended since the arrival of the pandemic. As each day passes, you wonder where and how this will end. I could compare it to a “suspense” novel where you’re anxiously awaiting the resolution of the mystery. Unfortunately, this is not fiction. We can’t sneak a peek at the last pages and find out how things turn out in the end. For a while we have to learn to live in a kind of “suspended animation” as so much of life as we know it is dormant, waiting to be awoken again. In the meantime, we are invited to “hang on every word” that comes from Jesus who is our rock and firm foundation. “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. What are the words of Jesus that you need to hear these days when there so much buffeting going on? For me it helps to hear him say, “Trust me. When you sit in that chair facing Brace Rock, think of me and how I’m that Rock for you.” FireWater6/24/2020 Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist
The title “FireWater” for this reflection on the birth of John the Baptist may have a tinge of irony in that it is assumed that John the Baptist, with his strange diet and ascetic practices never drank anything stronger than water. And to quote the Gospel of Luke: " for he will be great in the sight of [the] Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb," 1:15 The inspiration for “Fire/Water” for John the Baptist’s nativity came from a photograph of sunset this past Sunday that was taken by one of our retreatants. The sky is ablaze with fiery reds, yellows and oranges. Does the word “passionate” do it justice? But, it’s not just the sky. It seems as if the waters of Niles Pond in the foreground are on fire as they reflect the sky above. And the waters are tinged with purple, another passionate color. These two elements of fire and water, opposites by their nature are held in tension. Does that fit John the Baptist? His life, from his mother’s womb is described as being filled with the Holy Spirit. His passion for the “things of God” begins even before his birth. In Luke’s Gospel, “he leaps in Elizabeth’s womb” when she receives the visit of Mary, pregnant with Jesus. Leaping ahead to his adult life, John is always consumed by a passion that compels him to call people to repentance and challenge political and religious authorities. For John, the only authority is God and “the one who comes after him.” And yet, with all this fiery passion, it is “water” that he uses as the way to symbolize conversion of heart. The waters of John’s baptism work in a way that cleanse and renew. In the case of Jesus’s baptism by John in the Jordan, they are the catalyst for his hearing the voice of God say, “You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” On this feast of the birth of John the Baptist, we may want to pray for some of his passion. We may also want to ask for a renewal of the graces that come from being immersed in the waters of baptism. On this feast of the birth of John the Baptist, I also want to share with you a precious image of two new-born baby cardinals in their nest. They are waiting for the mother cardinal to feed them. Can you see them with their beaks open, asking to be fed? What better bird to accompany a fiery sky than a cardinal? Luster loss...6/23/2020 Tuesday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
Yesterday morning’s fog was very comforting. You felt enveloped by its cool and calming presence. It seemed to be a needed refresher for the lawns burnished by the ever-shining sun. This morning’s fog (photo above) has lost yesterday's luster. On this final day of retreat, it would have been a precious gift for folks to see an Eastern Point, “illustrious” sunrise. I’m not sure whether it’s the saying in Matthew’s Gospel “ Don’t cast your pearls before swine” or the association of pearls with the “gates of heaven” (Pearly Gates!) that has pearls as the focus of prayer this morning. It’s most likely both. Pearls, as you know, are precious and noted for their “luster,” that special shine they have as they reflect the light. But pearls can lose their luster over time, especially if they are not cared for or taken for granted. These days it feels like life has lost its luster. The pandemic has tarnished the precious gift of life for so many. So many of the “pearls” of daily living that we could take for granted are no longer available to us. The simple gifts of shared meals, friends’ embraces, singing and dancing, going to a sports event are not possible without great risk to ourselves and others. Ironically, it makes what is possible even more precious. It may be helpful to remember that a pearl comes into being because of an “irritant” in an oyster or other mollusk’s shell. God knows there are so many irritants these days, that there should be plenty of pearls! The question I’m asking myself these days is how to restore “life’s luster.” It may be simply recognizing those “pearls of great price” that we still have. Maybe we need to focus on those pearls and let them shine, like the sunset in the photo below. Miffed/Muffed/Muffled ---Muddled?6/22/2020 Monday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
When you read today’s scriptures, you’d get the impression that God is pretty “miffed” with the people of Israel. The story accounts how they “muffed” their relationship with God through their infidelity. They rejected his statutes, the covenant which he had made with their fathers, and the warnings which he had given them, till, in his great anger against Israel, the LORD put them away out of his sight. Jesus, in the Gospel, tells us to “muffle” our criticism and judgment of others. “Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. If you’re reading this and your “muddled” wondering where I’m going with this, I assure you, you’re not alone. So am I. The scriptures today are so harsh and hard to hear, that I wanted to find a way of lightening them with some word play… All for good “measure.” At yesterday’s liturgy, since everyone was masked, except myself as presider, I said that one of the things I miss about not singing is that we’ve lost the Alleluia. There is no sense in saying the Alleluia, even if you’re not masked, but with a mask? A muffled Alleluia? Why bother? So, in order to “reclaim” the Alleluia before the Gospel, I learned how to “say” it using ASL. Here’s a link to a Youtube that shows how. It was wonderful to see everyone using a “nonverbal” expression of great joy. I imagine that behind the masks, there were many smiles. I was really in a muddle this morning trying to get this done! I forgot the link. Here it is. www.handspeak.com/word/search/index.php?id=6350 These days that are as hard and as harsh as today’s scriptures It’s a challenge to find “Alleluias” And yet, there are reasons for rejoicing. The pandemic has muffled our joy and masked our smiles, but there are Alleluia moments that spring from our hearts. Yesterday’s ASL Alleluia was one of those for me. I hope there are some for you as well. (The Hibiscus in the photo above and below provided an Alleluia moment for me, surprising in its beauty!) Soul-Stice6/21/2020 12th Sunday of the Year/ Feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga
What do you see in this morning’s “solstice” sunrising? Beyond beauty, there is something more. Do you see what I see? Here’s the homily I’ll give this afternoon, as well as a poem that I wrote Entitled “Soul-stice.” (Solstice means Sun Standing Still) It’s also the feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga after whom the retreat house is named. 12th Sunday of the Year 2020 Oh, yes, the whole world’s in God’s hands Oh yes, the whole wide world in God’s hands Oh yes, the whole world’s in God’s hands Oh yes, the whole world’s in God’s hands. Oh yes, you and me brother are in God’s hands Oh yes, you and me sister are in God’s hands Oh yes, sisters and brothers are in God’s hands Oh yes, the whole world’s in God hands. If we were permitted to sing, that’s the song I’d invite you to join me in today after hearing today’s Gospel. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. These days, however, does this Gospel which speaks of God’s providential care for the world ring true? How do we speak of God’s providence when there is evidence to the contrary? With the suffering of so many during this pandemic time, it’s challenging to believe in a God who cares for sparrows and swallows and all of us. Unless you’re here at Gonzaga, where beauty is the norm, where bird songs lift heavy hearts, where roses wring from us “oohs and ahs” and the still waters of the Ocean invite you to be still and know who God is for you. Here it’s easier to believe and trust the words of Jesus, “Don’t be afraid.” Following Bea’s story of the amusement park yesterday, I sometimes think of Gonzaga as another kind of “amusement or theme” park. In Fantasy Land, you come to meet your favorite story book characters, here you come to meet all your favorite biblical characters and see how your own story is reflected in theirs. In Frontier Land, you see how people moved into new frontiers, here you may come to see new possibilities for yourself. Your experience of God may be stretched in a way that invites you to take risks you never thought to take. In Adventure Land, you travel to places that you might never visit it person, here the adventure of the heart in prayer is finding the Spirit taking you to places that challenge you and enrich your life’s journey. In Tomorrow Land, your imagination expands to embrace the possibilities of the future, here in your prayer, God invites you to trust in tomorrow. God’s today is your tomorrow. During this time of retreat, hopefully, God’s love and providential care is palpable for you. I want to finish this brief reflection with a poem that I wrote stemming from our scriptures today and the solstice of yesterday and today. Soul-Stice Be still my soul! Stop brooding over flaws, faults and failings, missteps, faux pas, paths mis-taken, foot falls and fault lines. Falling afoul in death traps, the fowler snares, foul, not owl- wise always, whispers of wrongs done, your undoing, transgression trapping you still. Is there egress from past’s failures, a greener grass on the other side, an escape cause for the unshriven soul? Be still my soul! Be brewing a love potion, A double portion of mercy’s minding, mending, easy to swallow. A brood of sparrows (more than two) be Soul’s solace, be an arrow piercing you with Love’s luster! Be still my soul! Still as the waters running deep within, still as ocean’s entrancing tranquility, lapping quietly, an infant’s sleep in her mother’s lap a child a sleep in his father’s arms. Still. Home is where the "Heart" is6/19/2020 Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
We began a six-day retreat on Wednesday, listening to Michael Joncas’ “Come to Me” which is a musical setting of the Gospel for the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus which we celebrate today. "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." The words and the melody of this song have been haunting me for the past two days. Who isn’t burdened these days? Who isn’t in need of rest? Who isn’t in need of a shoulder to cry on? Who doesn’t need to be “yoked” to Jesus and know that He is walking with them? In these turbulent times, the words of the Gospel and the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus can be a source of comfort and consolation. But how do we let his words and his heart find a home in us when it’s so difficult to be at home with ourselves these days. The irony is that we have had to be “at home” these past months but we do not feel “at home” with the way things are. There is so much that is not familiar. Each day brings its own challenges. The simplest of activities have become burdensome. Our homes have been “off limits” to friends. How can we be at home when we can’t invite others to a meal or a “cup of tea” in our homes? And so, today, we hear the invitation of Jesus to come to him. Find your home in his heart. Let him be “home” for you. Find yourself yoked in love with him. Another song in my heart is David Haas' "You Are Mine." It is beautifully danced by Kristina Wright as Mary Magdalene, Steven Cornwall as Peter and Rev. Edwin Johnson as Jesus. It's the words Come and follow me, I will bring you "home." I love you and you are mine that speak so powerfully to me on this feast of the Sacred Heart. (I've shared this dance with you before, but it's worth seeing again. If you go to the link below and scroll down 10 screens, you'll see Kristina kneeling before the altar as the dance begins. www.blde.org/lenten-works.html The photo of the rose was sent to me by Mary Santapaula who was here at the Retreat House for our day of prayer this past Sunday. It's on one of the rose bushes that Fr. Campbell, our director is deservedly proud of! It deserves to be the frame for this reflection on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. AuthorAs an ordained Catholic priest for 45 years and a member of the Jesuits for 57 years, I've had a great deal of "spiritual" experience! This is a place where I can continue to share my thoughts about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and what it means to live the "mystery of God." Categories |
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